Accessibility Policy

Commitment

Guitard Inc. is committed to identifying, preventing, and removing barriers that may prevent people with disabilities from accessing its public information, digital services, and communications.

Accessibility is treated as an ongoing responsibility. We aim to consider diverse visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological needs throughout design, development, publishing, and maintenance.

Scope

This policy applies to public websites, web content, documents, and digital services owned and controlled by Guitard Inc., including guitard.ca and its operated subdomains.

Third-party websites, platforms, embedded services, and content outside our control are governed by their own accessibility practices. We nevertheless consider accessibility when selecting and configuring third-party services and seek reasonable alternatives when barriers are identified.

Standards and Legal Framework

Our forward-looking target is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA. WCAG is an internationally recognized technical standard organized around content that is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

We also seek to meet applicable Canadian accessibility and human-rights requirements, including the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and its Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation where they apply. Ontario’s current website requirement refers to WCAG 2.0 Level AA, subject to stated exceptions. Where necessary, we will assess requirements retained in WCAG 2.0 separately from our WCAG 2.2 target.

The Accessible Canada Act applies to federally regulated entities within its jurisdiction. Guitard Inc. will follow that Act and other jurisdiction-specific accessibility requirements if and to the extent they apply to its activities.

Accessibility Measures

Where appropriate for the content and service, Guitard Inc. aims to:

• use semantic HTML, meaningful headings, landmarks, and page titles;
• provide text alternatives for meaningful non-text content;
• support keyboard-only navigation without keyboard traps;
• provide visible focus indicators and logical focus order;
• maintain sufficient colour contrast and avoid relying on colour alone;
• support text resizing, zoom, reflow, and common mobile orientations;
• label controls and links clearly and identify errors in understandable language;
• provide captions, transcripts, or audio descriptions for time-based media when required;
• avoid unnecessary flashing, motion, time limits, and automatically playing media;
• respect reduced-motion and device colour-scheme preferences where practical;
• use plain language where the subject permits; and
• consider accessibility when procuring, designing, changing, or retiring digital services.

Compatibility and Testing

We design for current, standards-supporting browsers and commonly used assistive technologies. Accessibility evaluation may include automated checks, keyboard review, zoom and reflow testing, colour-contrast testing, reduced-motion testing, and manual review with assistive technologies.

Automated tools identify only some barriers. Material updates should also receive manual review appropriate to their complexity. Feedback from people with disabilities is particularly valuable and may inform priorities and remediation.

Older browsers, unsupported assistive technologies, custom browser settings, or third-party components may produce a different experience. We will make reasonable efforts to investigate reported compatibility barriers.

Known Limitations

Despite ongoing efforts, some content may not yet fully meet our target. Potential limitations may include archived files, complex visual material, legacy documents, or third-party content outside our control.

When information cannot be converted without fundamentally changing it, or when conversion is not technically feasible, we will explain the limitation and provide an accessible summary or alternative where required and reasonably possible.

Known barriers that materially affect access will be assessed, prioritized according to impact, and addressed as resources and technical options permit.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

Accessible formats and communication supports are available on request. We will consult with the requester about a suitable format or support and make reasonable efforts to provide it in a timely manner.

Where applicable law requires it, an accessible format or communication support will be provided at no additional cost beyond any cost ordinarily charged for the original material.

Feedback and Accommodation Requests

If you encounter an accessibility barrier, require an accessible format, or want to suggest an improvement, contact:

Please identify the page, file, or service involved; describe the barrier; and indicate any preferred format or communication support. Do not include unnecessary medical or other sensitive personal information.

We will acknowledge accessibility feedback where contact information is provided, review the concern, and communicate a response or next step within a reasonable period. Feedback may be submitted anonymously, although doing so may prevent us from requesting clarification or providing a response.

Continuous Improvement

Guitard Inc. will consider accessibility during material website changes, review significant reported barriers, and update practices as standards, technologies, and legal requirements evolve.

Remediation priorities may consider the severity of the barrier, frequency of use, availability of alternatives, technical complexity, and impact on people with disabilities.

Policy Changes

We may update this policy to reflect changes to our services, standards, or legal obligations. The effective date and version will be updated when material changes are made.

Questions about this policy may be sent to accessibility@guitard.ca.